Konami Software Club 1-13

KONAMI

SOFTWARE CLUB

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

AUGUST, 1987

Issue No. 1

Introducing
Mark Smith
Editor

When I was lirst informed that I had to write a mini
description of mysell.frankly, \ was worried. NoUhal
I was stuc k f or i d ea s , bu I M isn't easy to s i t do w n an d
write about someone that you have only known lor
sateen years, that is interesting , , , and still
printworthy!

One of my primary tasks in l he Honami Software
dub is lo aciusiiy wriie and cornpila the newsletter.
This wiil Include the writing of reviews, something
which [ consider myse I r to be quite competent at
Already I have written for various publications in the
computer media field, although I consider my
current position to be the most interesting and
exciting yet!

Even though I am an MSX enthusiast, I enjoy using
other machines too. I have no favourites outside of
Ihe MSX field, and I always review games keeping in
mind (he machine's capabilities and limitalions. So,
from the humble Spectrum to (he mighty MSX? and
Atari ST, you can expect fair and unbiased reviews!

Apart from editing the K3G mag, and generally
making a nuisance of myself, I will also be manning
the Konami HefpUne from 9^5 every weekday I will
be helping out callers -with their gaming problems,
and arso answering any queries that you have about
(he Club. When you ring, please quote your number
so that you can receive a more personal service.

The KSG WewsfeNer wrll also be lealuring any
questions or informalron that you send through the
post. If you want to see any specific item in Ihe mag
I hen let us know — it's always mtereslmg to see
Ol her people's ideas and articles"

INSIDE:

Jackal Review - Nemesis Playing Tips
Penguin Adventure Cul Short!
Amazing Maze Of Galious
News In Brief ...

2 K ON A Ml SOFTWARE CLUB, 1UGU»1 IVKT

Arcade Review: Nemesis
JACKAL playing tips

I'm sure [hat all of you will agree whan I say that
Kg nam i never cease to amaze us when it comes to
arcade games (or euen computer games!), All of you
must remember the excrtement caused when Hyper
Olympics and Hyper Sports were lei loose Into the
arcades — you had to Form a queue on every
machine for hours so get a go h Konami have gone
from good to hotter ever since, with smash titles
such as Satemancfer and Nemesis Thankfully,
Jackal is no exception, being a lop quality and
exhilarating game to play

in Jackal you control a small, two-manned jeep,
which is green in colour and sports a cule flag,
showing Ehe jeep's player number (as two players
can play simultaneously), Once you've inserted your
money and pressed ihe star! burton, you and your
jeep are parachuted into enemy territory Your
mission is lo rescue as many PoWs as possible and
carry them safaly !o the next rendezvous poms
where they will be lifted out by helicopter

While rescuing the prisoner you have to iry and
avoid the many obstacles in your way, These
hazards include enemy artiirery, landmines, lalllng
rocks. I lame-throwers, ens my aircraft and missHes.
Konami use if ue stale of the art graphics, combined
with an excellent array of colours. As well as all of
Eh is, l he re are a series of superb Junes played
throughout, accompanied by some outstanding
sound effects!

II you survive all pi tne Treacherous landscape*, you
will nave to confront and destroy the Master
Complex. This is guarded by two laser-firing turrets
which are near impossible lo outmanoeuvre. The
only way it can t>e done is to immediately career lo
the rig hi or left and position your jeep so that you
have a dear sr ot at rhe building i!self. which has tu

be shot several times before it eventually explodes.

Vour jeep is supplied with grenades and bullets al
first, but you can build up your weaponry by
penetrating a selected amount of huts and picking
up the P0W5 that emerge from them. Four "power
ups' can be collected, and ihey form log ether lo
produce an extremely destructive piece of equip-
ment. When you have collected the first power up,
you are given a simple exploding missile, then on to
a two-star missile and, last of ail, a four-star which
looks just as it is described. Once you have the
four-star missile, enemy destruction is imminent,
especially if I wo players are playing.

Overall, Jscka! is intriguing to play and a real
challenge to ail you arcade buffs. Once you gel
familiar with all of the screens and find out where &
lot of the enemy appear, all of a sudden the game is
much easier. As soo n as y ou ve lost al I ol you r I i ves, a
map is displayed, showing you how tar you have
gone. Payability is slick, with some moves only
possible with practice. Movements of your jeep and
the opposition are well animated and a pleasure to
watch, es pec i a 1 1 y t he explosions! Jackal rea I ly is one
of those games thai makes you wan l to come back
for more and more . . . until completion, Well worth
your spare ten pennies?

Review by Jan Machin

11 appears thai some people are still having
difficulties on the first level of Nemesis. The best
idea that I found was to first get ihe laser, I hen the
option and then speed on Ihe opening screen. When
you move i n to the land sea pe a rea , watc h you r bac k ,
and taka out the top enemies, then the middle, and
Finally Ihe bottom. At Ihe first possible chance get
the missiles, which will probably save you a few
embarrassing dealhs!

Once you reach the rock with the missile launchers,
keep high thus avoiding the looming menaces, and
missing 1he t*nemies advancing from behind. Neat
you will have to deal with iha erupting volcano,
which needs cool(!} and active reflexes. The best
position to situate yourself is direct Fy above the first
lava-breathing mountain, right at the fop. This way
you don't score many points, but you donl lose
many lives! A missile or l wo is helpful, but not
essential.

Finally, on the last stage of level one, you have lo
defeat one oi (he molhar ships. To destroy it, you
must shoot away its shields, which are situated in the
middle, wiithonly asmaHqap tosheot through Wilh
3 laser, the tasfc Isn't too' difficult, but if your warp
rattler has only buHets then your job is even more
daunting than belore! The oniy irnng that you can
do, apart from dying, is to shoot a lew shields, dodge
the missiles, and repeal over and over again, until it
finally disintegrates.

CBM 64 owners can make life even easier ny
choosing the four player mode, and pressing
shiftlock. This will make your ship invulnerable, but
you will still have to shoot tne baclerions lo score
points. Amstrad owners also seem to have a cheat
mode. By choosing two players and lei ling the
second player get as far inlo the game as possible,
then, when you die. you will be able to start the game
from where you left off for so an anonymous caller
tells me!).

Penguin Adventure
Warp Mode (MSX)

So you've gol the apple, defeated all eight
Phry say ruses and rescued Penguinette, have you?
Well, we've news for you — you needn't have worked
so hard, as you can get to level twelve in just three
warp jumps! Here's how . , ,

Rem ember how you avoided those big crevasses
lifcethe plague, and looked oul for the traders" holes
as if they were gold? All of that will now change as it
is the la rger crevasses t hat trigger o f f t he warp I evel .
ToNnd the easy way, you start on level and fall down
al I of t he big hoi es whi 1st w i g g I ing your j oy si ick. On e
of these holes will lake you a few levels forward
through a warp system . Keep on doing this — it will
only work on certain levels — and you should linally
wind up on level 121

KOH AMI SOFTWARE CLUD P AUGUST 1 ttGT

Latest

release

Title? The Maze Of Galious

Format: MSX Mega Bit (128k) Cartridge

Price: £18.95

The Maze QfGatious, Konami's latest release for the
MSX, is the sequeJ to Knightmare which was
released in the rnrddle of last year. And, although it is
Sal a My dif f eren I, Ihc game ca rr ies on beau irf u My from
where ils predecessor left off.

In ^nightmare, Popofon had En rescue Aphrodile
from (he evil clulchesof the dark overlord, Hudnos.
The kidnapping of Aphrodile. though, was a ploy by
Galious, so as to I gave Cass I q Greek vulnerable to
attack whilsi Popolon was away. Galrousdid starl an
assault on the castle, and he also look the unborn
child of our intrepid couple from the heavens, He
then hid himself, and the child, in the castle . . .

It is your task to take on ine roles of Popolon and of
Aphrodile and rescue your lulure child, not Forget-
ting the castle and its surrounding worlds. You can
switch between the two characters during [he game,
both of whom have different energy and vitaliiv
(experience j ratings. You receive a certain amount
of experience each lime I hat you kill a monster, the
total depending on the creature. When your
experience bar reaches i Is peak then it resets itself lo
nought and you regain any lost energy!

The Maze Of Gaiious is a unique arcade adventure
with ten different worlds to visit and a keyword
needed to recover each one. When you type in the
■word in e certain room (you'll be able to recognise it
by the morbid, but ingenious, music) a rather nasly
looking creature wrll appear, which you will have to
defeat. No mean feat K believe me!

In the game there are many items to find (or buy ) and
use. You can collect loose corns lying around, and
then use them to barter with the traders in the castle.
Castle Greek, though, is not a really friend ty place to
visit, however profitabfe, and I certainly wouldn't
lake my grandmother thereon a Sunday afternoon.
There are a great varying number of monsters to
defeat and dodge, and not one of them gives you so
much as a friendly smile! These hostile enemies
include undead kmghts, sword weaving skeletons
and even blood-sucking bats, not to mention the
flesh-cat ing hedgeftogs!

Another feature in The Maze Of Gafious is the
apparent ROM saving codes. During the game you
can visit Gods who will give you a forty-five letter
code to lype in for when you switch off and return
later, or when you die. This will start the game with
all of the items and weapons thai you left the game
with, and also I ha energy rating that you achieved.

a

This trtle appears to me lo be the MSX 1 version of
Vampire Kitter, the lirst Konami release lor the MSX
2, as ils style is similar in both gamepjay and
graph res. However, this game is a little more active,
and ihe playing area is larger. Each world consists of
about fpfteen ruoms and each has its own p rob terns
to overcome. The castle is larger still, with about 1 56
rooms lo visit. The graphics are different m each
place, and they are very colourful and detailed. Also,
Ihe music constantly changes, wtth a variety of
voices, drums and effects to listen out for.

Without doubt, The Maze Of Gaiious is one of (he
best sequels to appear this year, and is on the same
level as Nemesis and Penguin Adventure for sheer
pla^abilily and enjoyment. I would say thai it's
highly recommended from us, but that's pretly
obvious. So why nui try it am sec whal yuu think'?

News
in brief . . .

□ Konami have licensed Ocean to produce
Gryzor and Cornbai School on the Spec-
trum, Commodore and Amstrad formats. No
release dale yet but further details next

iSSU?-

□ Battlantis. Konamis most recent arcade
game, is receiving good reviews, along with
Combal School. Our reviews in future issues
wiit be revesting?

n Iron Horse. Salamander and Jackal are ati
scheduled for release on the CBM &4 r
Spectrum and Amstrad micros. Atari 3 Bit
owners witf he pleased to fearn that Jackal
witt also be the first release on their
machines. Unfortunately, there is no news of
avaiiahiiity of these products on the MSX yet:
However, there arc rumours that a sequel to
Nemesis is on the cards . . .

□ Looks tike Konami aren't satisfied with the
sound chip in the MSX machines (A Y- 3-39 W
compatible), They have developed an eight-
votce polyphonic sound chip to enhance
their cartridges even further. The one tested
here on a future release certainty takes
music and sound FX into the realms of
arcade standards . . . more in a later issue!

□ The second M$X 2 release from Konami is
soon to be published. The game, Metal Gear,
is a complicated army game with a massive
playing area and so much to do that it's quite
unbelievable! One special feature in this
mega-hit game is the radio transmission,
You can caft up your squadron leader for
information and aiso receive it bach again.
Great graphics and a film-style soundtrack
make this game an instant classic*

□ Ocean have licensed Konami to produce
Top Gun on cartridge for the Nintendo
games console . . . wonder if it will he used in
conjunction with the Zapper Gun?

KOfJ A Ht IGFTWJhftE CiU6, ALKIUSt mai

About the Konami
Software Club

The tfSCwasset up to briny micro users and arcade
fans. all of She latest news about Konami and their
products. This was a result o* many, many telephone
cstls. and an enormous amount of mail showing a
great enthusiasm for Konami software. Although we
do have a good relationship wMh most magazines, it
would be unfair to expect them to devote loo -many
pages to K on ami, so this New&t&tter will be bringing
you an of the up-to-date news and Kerns I hat you
may not be able 10 read elsewhere.

In each issue of the KSC Newsletter* we will bo
reviewing arcade and computer game,s. Jooking at
various machines, and keeping you inlormed on
new products and ideas. Jn addition to the Spec-
trum, Amstrad, Commodore 64, MSX and Atari 6 Bit
micros, we will also be covering the C1&, Einstein
and 16 Bit machines for which Konami are
developing games.

One aspect oi a successful newsletter j 3 the
readership input, We always, welcome your letters
and ideas thai you send to us. and we ere especially
looking lor your pfaying lips on both Konami arcade
end compute games., So why not-writ e in?

Free

PCW tickets!

Thinking of going to the PCW show in September?
The KSC is offering you the chance to enter the
show on one of the public days free of charge! The
first 100 members that write to us expressing a view
on the first Newsletter (and claiming their prize?) will
receive a complimentary ticket for themselves! It's as
simple as thai?

Konami Helpline

The Konami Helpline is here for you to use so
that you can ask us questions aboul your
favourite games. We should be able to give you
a helping hint For most games that wrlj set you
on your way again,

We will also be answering any queries lhat you
have about the Konami Software Gtub, and
letting you know about lorthcoming releases
on all machines. You can also find out all about
the new titles by phoning after five and listening
to the Helpline Hotline.

Tel: 0626 56789

Konami
T-Shiils...

Following our popular offer with C&VG for
Wemes/s T-shi rts, th e re has been a n i n c rease i n
cost from the manufacturer. This has resulted
in the cost rising to £4.95 for K5C members,
including post and packing, The non-sub-
scriber price is £5.95-

Grders should be sent to:
W& V Supplies,
Bank Buildings,
Bank Street.
Newton Abbot,
Devon
TQ12 2JL.

NEXT ISSUE...

PCW preview - in depth.
Gryzor arcade review.
Track And Field - CBM 64 review
New Merchandise - more arcade
T-shirts

New M SX release - surprise review!
Nintendo - another Japanese
revolution?

Cheat measurements in inches please. Access/
Barclay card are accepted. Cnequcs and postal
orders should be made payable to "W & V Supplies".
Please allow 28 days for delivery.

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